Characteristics and Driving Factors of Precipitation-Use Efficiency across Diverse Grasslands in Chinese Loess Plateau
Understanding the characteristics of the precipitation-use efficiency (PUE) of grassland ecosystems and its drivers is critical for predicting how ecosystem functions will respond to future climate change. In this study, we investigated several covarying biotic and abiotic factors (e.g., biomass, co...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2023-08-01
|
| Series: | Agronomy |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/13/9/2296 |
| _version_ | 1797581639139721216 |
|---|---|
| author | Zongping Ren Hailiang Qiao Ping Xiong Jianbo Peng Bo Wang Kaibo Wang |
| author_facet | Zongping Ren Hailiang Qiao Ping Xiong Jianbo Peng Bo Wang Kaibo Wang |
| author_sort | Zongping Ren |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Understanding the characteristics of the precipitation-use efficiency (PUE) of grassland ecosystems and its drivers is critical for predicting how ecosystem functions will respond to future climate change. In this study, we investigated several covarying biotic and abiotic factors (e.g., biomass, coverage, diversity, precipitation, temperature, and humid index (HI)) of 81 sites across a broad natural grassland gradient in the Loess Plateau of China to determine how PUE changes along a precipitation gradient and to assess the effects of biotic and abiotic factors on PUE. Our results showed that HI, below-ground biomass (BGB), vegetation coverage, and species diversity were the most important biotic factors in controlling PUE. HI had a higher positive indirect effect on PUE mainly through its influence on community characteristics. Our results suggest that precipitation and community characteristics are both important for the precipitation-use efficiency of natural grasslands across the arid and semiarid areas of the Loess Plateau. Additionally, improving the vegetation structure and increasing species diversity can help enhance the adaptability of grassland ecosystems to climate change. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T23:08:22Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-4afa8a01a8f84ad0a8ca7f8632908841 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4395 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T23:08:22Z |
| publishDate | 2023-08-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Agronomy |
| spelling | doaj.art-4afa8a01a8f84ad0a8ca7f86329088412023-11-19T09:10:18ZengMDPI AGAgronomy2073-43952023-08-01139229610.3390/agronomy13092296Characteristics and Driving Factors of Precipitation-Use Efficiency across Diverse Grasslands in Chinese Loess PlateauZongping Ren0Hailiang Qiao1Ping Xiong2Jianbo Peng3Bo Wang4Kaibo Wang5State Key Laboratory of Eco-Hydraulics in Northwest Arid Region of China, Xi’an University of Technology, Xi’an 710048, ChinaShaanxi Forestry Survey and Planning Institute, Xi’an 710082, ChinaShaanxi Forestry Survey and Planning Institute, Xi’an 710082, ChinaShaanxi Forestry Survey and Planning Institute, Xi’an 710082, ChinaShaanxi Forestry Survey and Planning Institute, Xi’an 710082, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Loess and Quaternary Geology, Institute of Earth Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xi’an 710061, ChinaUnderstanding the characteristics of the precipitation-use efficiency (PUE) of grassland ecosystems and its drivers is critical for predicting how ecosystem functions will respond to future climate change. In this study, we investigated several covarying biotic and abiotic factors (e.g., biomass, coverage, diversity, precipitation, temperature, and humid index (HI)) of 81 sites across a broad natural grassland gradient in the Loess Plateau of China to determine how PUE changes along a precipitation gradient and to assess the effects of biotic and abiotic factors on PUE. Our results showed that HI, below-ground biomass (BGB), vegetation coverage, and species diversity were the most important biotic factors in controlling PUE. HI had a higher positive indirect effect on PUE mainly through its influence on community characteristics. Our results suggest that precipitation and community characteristics are both important for the precipitation-use efficiency of natural grasslands across the arid and semiarid areas of the Loess Plateau. Additionally, improving the vegetation structure and increasing species diversity can help enhance the adaptability of grassland ecosystems to climate change.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/13/9/2296precipitation-use efficiencyprecipitationabove-ground net primary productionspecies richnesssemiarid grasslands |
| spellingShingle | Zongping Ren Hailiang Qiao Ping Xiong Jianbo Peng Bo Wang Kaibo Wang Characteristics and Driving Factors of Precipitation-Use Efficiency across Diverse Grasslands in Chinese Loess Plateau Agronomy precipitation-use efficiency precipitation above-ground net primary production species richness semiarid grasslands |
| title | Characteristics and Driving Factors of Precipitation-Use Efficiency across Diverse Grasslands in Chinese Loess Plateau |
| title_full | Characteristics and Driving Factors of Precipitation-Use Efficiency across Diverse Grasslands in Chinese Loess Plateau |
| title_fullStr | Characteristics and Driving Factors of Precipitation-Use Efficiency across Diverse Grasslands in Chinese Loess Plateau |
| title_full_unstemmed | Characteristics and Driving Factors of Precipitation-Use Efficiency across Diverse Grasslands in Chinese Loess Plateau |
| title_short | Characteristics and Driving Factors of Precipitation-Use Efficiency across Diverse Grasslands in Chinese Loess Plateau |
| title_sort | characteristics and driving factors of precipitation use efficiency across diverse grasslands in chinese loess plateau |
| topic | precipitation-use efficiency precipitation above-ground net primary production species richness semiarid grasslands |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/13/9/2296 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT zongpingren characteristicsanddrivingfactorsofprecipitationuseefficiencyacrossdiversegrasslandsinchineseloessplateau AT hailiangqiao characteristicsanddrivingfactorsofprecipitationuseefficiencyacrossdiversegrasslandsinchineseloessplateau AT pingxiong characteristicsanddrivingfactorsofprecipitationuseefficiencyacrossdiversegrasslandsinchineseloessplateau AT jianbopeng characteristicsanddrivingfactorsofprecipitationuseefficiencyacrossdiversegrasslandsinchineseloessplateau AT bowang characteristicsanddrivingfactorsofprecipitationuseefficiencyacrossdiversegrasslandsinchineseloessplateau AT kaibowang characteristicsanddrivingfactorsofprecipitationuseefficiencyacrossdiversegrasslandsinchineseloessplateau |